"John Giorno: The Performative Word" (2026)

Milan, Italy: Mousse Publishing and Bologna, Italy: Museo d'Arte Moderna (MAMbo) (exhibition catalogue), 2026.
11.5" x 8.75" x 0.75", 224 pages, softcover, ISBN 978-88-6749-730-0.

John Giorno: The Performative Word, an exhibition catalogue for the event at MAMbo (Museo d'Arte Moderna di Bologna, Italy) between 5 February and 3 May 2026. Curated and edited by Lorenzo Balbi, Anthony Huberman, and Bonnie Winehouse. The publishing editor was Ilaria Bombelli. Editorial consultation by Francesca Rebecchi. Design by Massimiliano Pace. Translations by Bennett Bazalgette. Copyediting and proofreading by Emma Passarella and Lindsey Westbrook. Text in English.

Despite being an exhibition of John Giorno, William S. Burroughs appears throughout – in the text and in reproduced flyers, posters, letters, Giorno Poetry Systems LP covers, and in the Giorno Poetry Systems letterhead as Vice President and member of the Board of Directors.

Contents: 

• Lorenzo Balbi: "You Got to Burn to Shine: Word, Body, Voice, and Presence in the Art of John Giorno, Total Poet"
• Drew Sawyer: "John Giorno's Hardcore Art Histories"
• Kyle Dacuyan: "Poet at the Heart of It: Reading John Giorno's Lyric Craft"
• Nicola Ricciardi: "The Book of John"
• Laura Hoptman and Udo Rondinone: "Laura Hoptman & Udo Rondinone in Conversation" 
• "No Words" (on Andy Warhol's Sleep)
• "Words on the Stage" (on Giorno's performances)
• "Words on the Page" (on Giorno's poetry in periodicals and books)
• "Words on the Phone" (on Dial-a-Poem)
  
• "Words in Solidarity" (on Giorno's collaborations and activism)
• "Words on Vinyl" (on Giorno Poetry System and other audio)
• "Words in Prayer" (on Giorno's Buddhist connections)
• "Words on the Wall" (on Giorno's visual art)
• Chronology
• List of Exhibited Works 
• Acknowledgments